Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-08
TEXAS CATTLE.
Can Texas Cattle be Converted into Re
frIgsrate d Beef With Profit?
JIouetop pcs+
habitants

Houston Post.
The dressed beef problem has long
been interesting the people of Texas, as
it has the people OF the northwest. But
Just as the movement of the dressed beef
industry from Chicago westward to tae
Missouri river-to tile western edge OF
the corn belt-has fairly begun, the at
tempt to establish the industry in Texas
is admitted to be Z failure. The HOus-
ton Tex Post Of tie 18th instant, IN
an elaborate editorial article, SAYS that
constitutions for Strengthening and Ugck-
ing beef have been erected ia different
points IN Texas, but in every instance
they have failed, or at least
suspended" The reason assigned by
the Texas paper for such failure is that
"they could not find market for their
products" But there is reason back of
the one assigned, which j., in fact, only a
result OF the ultimate cause. The climate
is en- important, if not an insuperaOle,
obstacle in the way OF the beef packing
industry in Texas. The expenses OF
refrigeration are necessarily eXtraordi-
nary in that climate and The danger of
tainting so great as to impair the market
price. Besides, the cattle of Texas can
only be range cattle, for there is no corn
to finish them. Such beef cannot com
pete III the eastern market with the
quarters Of corn-fed beef in the northwest,
perfectly treated with cheap refrigeration
and only half the distance from
market. Texas and ali the warm terri
tory of the southwest, therefore, NAV be
eliminated from the problem of supply
ing the markets of the United States with
beef slaughtered and dressed near the
points of its production. THIS is O. very
important fac j., because it shuts out the
unnumbered millions Of cattle raised on
the ranges OF Texas from consideration
i'll the dressed beef supply. 1t narrows
the limits of that supply to the great corn
belt of the north, and, more especially,
Of the northwest. 1t narrows 1t to the
latter particularly because of its proxi-
nifty to the vast cattle ranges of the far
Their northwest, where cattle can be
cheap!y grown but not fattened.- u Sioux
City (Ia) Journal.
There are several errors and mislead-
ing statements in the above. The Post
stated that for the reason given, together
with the fact that they were unfsvorably
located, the refrigerators IN Texas had
time it pointed out the fact that had these
works been placed at q convenient point
in the state no such disaster could have
overtaken them, but that, on the con-
trary, they would nave proven eminently
successful. The Journal appears to know
very little about Texas beef or the egri-
cultural resources of the state.
1t knows little OF our climste
and less of the methods aud costs
of beef refrigeration. The Journal
does not appear to know that there are
thousands of Texas cattle shipped every
year to Kansas City and Chicago, where
they are slaughtered soon after arrival
and the meat sold for what it really is
choice beef. The ranges Of Texas supply
a very large proportion of the beef sold
in northern and eastern markets, and
therefore the statement of the Journal
that Texas beef cannot compete in the
eastern market with beef rQised in he
northwest, is n0thing less than anSAb-
surdity. Texas cattle are noted far and
wide for their superiority over those
raised in other sections of the range.
country. As to the matterof corn, Texas
can raise enough to feed and fatten not
only all tie cattle rased in this state, but
sufficient TO supply all the stock OF the
northwest. The reason why corn has
not been more generally grown is because
cotton has been regarded as more
profitable crop, but Just as soon as there
is home demand for this staple product
the BRACES bottom will surrender con-
siderable portion of its fertile lands to
this cereal, and then corn-fed beeves
will be as numerous in Texas
as in those sections of the
country where corn is the leading
crop. The fact is, as has been repeatedly
shown, Texas has al the requisites for
raising, fattening, slaughtering, refrlger-
ating and shipping beeyes. There is here
everything needed to bring about revi-
val of the cattle industry, including CAPT
tai and enterprise, together with pluck
and determination. These elements Of
success are combining, and the estab-
lishment of one immense absttoir, refrig-
orator and packing works at Houston,
with unequalled facilities fer transport
ing its products to Europe, Will effectu-
ally settle the dressed beef problem to
the great benefit Of the cattle raisers. 4